The protagonist is the viewer. Excerpt from the book "Installation Art"

Contents:

• Total installation
• Dream scene

Ad Marginem Publishing House has published Claire Bishop's book "Installation Art". In this work, the author explores the role of the viewer in an installation and analyzes how a person perceives various art objects. The book is divided into four chapters, each shedding light on key aspects of the history of installation and its development. Bishop's focus on the interaction between viewer and space makes her work essential for understanding contemporary art and its function.

With permission from the publisher, we present an excerpt from the first chapter, entitled "Dream Scene," which examines Ilya Kabakov's work "The Man Who Flew into Space from His Room." This work explores themes of solitude and the desire for freedom, reflecting deep philosophical and psychological aspects of human existence. Readers will be immersed in Kabakov's unique world, where his art becomes a reflection of the human inner world.

Chapter One

In this chapter, we will cover the main aspects that form the foundation for understanding further topics. We will discuss key concepts, their meaning, and their impact on subsequent sections. We will delve into details that will help you better navigate the material and apply the acquired knowledge in practice. This chapter will serve as a starting point for your study, allowing you to establish strong connections between theory and real-world examples. A wealth of useful information will be presented here to prepare you for more complex topics in the future.

A dream scene is a unique space where reality and fantasy intertwine. It is a world where anything is possible, and where our wildest desires and fears can take shape. Creating such a scene requires attention to detail to immerse the viewer in a dreamlike atmosphere. It is important to use vivid imagery and metaphors to convey a sense of lightness and ephemerality. A dream scene can be calm and peaceful, or disturbing and chaotic, depending on the character's emotional state. Effective use of light, color, and sound effects can deepen the essence of a dream and make it more memorable. When creating a dream scene, it is useful to consider how it can reflect the characters' inner worlds, their experiences, and aspirations.

Under sacks of coal, amid the aroma of roasting coffee, in an atmosphere filled with warmth and comfort, a unique setting is created that promotes a comfortable pastime. Here, everyone can enjoy a wealth of flavors and aromas that intertwine to create a unique atmosphere. The coals used for cooking add a special touch to the aromas, and the freshly brewed, rich coffee adds energy and vigor. It's the perfect place to socialize, relax, and savor the moment.

The sounds of beds and reeds drifted from afar, creating an atmosphere of comfort and tranquility. These sounds, like the music of nature, filled the surrounding space, immersing one in a world of relaxation and peace. In such an environment, it was easy to forget one's worries and enjoy a moment of peace. Listening to these sounds, one could feel a sense of harmony with the surrounding world.

The sounds of shaking express trains emanate from the speakers.

Adventures on the train platforms await their seekers. These places are full of mysteries and stories that can inspire unforgettable trips. Train platforms are not just stops along the way, but entire worlds where people's destinies intersect. They attract travelers dreaming of new discoveries and experiences. Exploring these platforms can unlock unique experiences and cultural aspects that would otherwise go unnoticed. Immersing yourself in these spaces can spark a desire to learn more about the places the rails lead to and the people who inhabit them.

Sleep and imagination stations are unique spaces where the worlds of reality and fantasy merge. These places can serve as a source of inspiration, promoting relaxation and creative thinking. It is important to create an atmosphere conducive to deep sleep and active imagination. The proper design of such spaces, using soft lighting and cozy textures, will help set the right mood. A personalized approach to each interior element will create a unique atmosphere that promotes harmony between sleep and imagination.

Georges Hunet is an outstanding figure known for his significant achievements in various fields. His work spans many fields, including art, science, and cultural studies. Yunet has distinguished himself as a talented researcher whose ideas and concepts continue to influence contemporary society. His contribution to the development of cultural and social processes is invaluable. Through his innovative approaches, Georges Yunet has become an important figure, whose name is associated with progress and inspiration. The importance of his legacy continues to grow, captivating both researchers and a wider audience seeking new knowledge and understanding.

Total Installation

In The Man Who Flew into Space from His Room (1985), Russian artist Ilya Kabakov (b. 1933) creates an intriguing narrative scene that the viewer is left to interpret. We find ourselves in a spacious hallway, where a raincoat and hat are displayed on one wall, and on the opposite wall is a shelf with framed texts. This composition encourages the viewer to reflect on the connection between objects and their meaning, as well as on the inner world of a person who may be striving for freedom and new discoveries. Kabakov masterfully uses minimalism to highlight philosophical questions of existence and human experience in the context of space themes.

The texts contain three accounts of the same incident involving a man who apparently left his room and went into space. These reports were provided to police by three of the fugitive's neighbors, who lived in the same communal apartment. The incident attracted public attention and became a hot topic, raising questions about the nature of reality and how we perceive the world around us. Considering the neighbors' different perspectives allows for a deeper understanding of the situation and the scale of the incident.

In the hallway, we notice a boarded-up doorway; through the cracks between the boards, a cluttered room filled with posters, blueprints, and debris is visible. A homemade catapult with a seat and a hole in the ceiling are located here. In the corner, a model of a city district is embedded with a thin silver wire coming from the roof of one of the buildings. Kabakov calls such works "total installations," as each one creates an immersive environment into which the viewer enters. These installations not only attract attention but also immerse you in a unique atmosphere, allowing everyone to explore the space and its details.

The main character in a total installation is the viewer. All elements of the installation are aimed at their perception. Each detail and structure is created to evoke specific impressions, anticipating a reaction from the viewer. The installation is entirely focused on creating a unique experience that should leave a deep imprint on the observer's consciousness.

Kabakov emphasizes that the viewer is the "actor" in his works, making them similar to theatrical productions. His installations are often perceived as theatrical mise-en-scènes or film sets. Kabakov himself draws parallels between his art and theater, arguing that the author of an installation acts as the "director" of a carefully orchestrated dramatic performance. All elements of the installation, including lighting, sound, and text, serve a "narrative" function, playing an important role in moving the viewer through the space. This interaction creates a unique experience that emphasizes the viewer's importance in the artistic process.

After emigrating from the USSR in the late 1980s, Ilya Kabakov became one of the most successful artists in the field of installation art. His texts represent significant attempts to formulate a theory of installation, making his works essential for understanding this genre. The concept of "total installation" offers a unique model of viewing experience that not only physically places the viewer in a three-dimensional space but also psychologically immerses them. Thus, Kabakov creates a special atmosphere in which viewers become active participants, not just observers, which enhances their engagement with the art and deepens their understanding of its meanings.

Kabakov often describes the effect of "total installation" as an effect of "absorption." We are not simply surrounded by elements of a certain psychological scenario, but are immersed in the work, experiencing it as if reading a book, watching a film, or being in a dream. This experience allows us not only to perceive art but also to become part of it, which strengthens the emotional connection with the work. The result is a unique interaction between the viewer and the artwork, making the "total installation" an important element of contemporary art.

This book aims to demonstrate that while cinema, theater, reading, and sleep are distinct experiences, they share a common quality of psychological absorption with installation. In what follows, we will focus on a specific model mentioned by Kabakov—dreaming—which, as we will see, is the closest analogue to our perception of installation art. Dreams provide a unique opportunity to explore the deep mechanisms of perception and emotional response, making them an important object of analysis in the context of contemporary art.

Dream Scene

Sigmund Freud's The Interpretation of Dreams (1900) is an important work in the field of psychoanalysis, which explains the nature of dreams and their interpretation. Freud identifies three key characteristics of dreams. The first characteristic is that dreams are primarily visual, as they "think predominantly in images." However, they can also contain auditory elements. Dreams are distinguished by high sensory immediacy, creating the impression that a person is not simply remembering events, but is completely immersed in the experienced situation. Thus, Freud emphasizes that dreams are an important aspect of the human psyche and require deep analysis to understand hidden desires and emotions.

Dreams have a complex structure, making them difficult to understand as a whole. At first glance, they may seem meaningless, but if you break them down into their component parts, hidden meanings and significance can be discovered. This approach allows for a deeper understanding of the dream's content and its impact on our subconscious.

According to Freud, dreams require less "decoding" than in-depth analysis using the method of free association. This method allows for the revelation of a dream's meaning through individual emotional and verbal connections. A key aspect is the ability to replace each dream element with words or sounds associated with it. This creates a unique dream structure that emphasizes their personal significance and connection to subconscious processes. Dream analysis thus opens new horizons for understanding the human psyche and inner world.

The three key features—sensory immediacy of perception, complex structure, and the discovery of meaning through free association—accurately reflect the model of viewing experience described by Kabakov in the context of the "total installation." We are immersed in an immersive "scene," where understanding its meaning requires a creative process of free association. This entails a consistent examination of the installation's constituent elements and their symbolic interpretation as metonymic parts of a single narrative. Comparing this type of art to a dream is justified because, as Kabakov notes, the "total installation" affects the viewer in the following way: "The main engine of a total installation, what keeps it going, is to spin the wheel of associations, cultural or everyday analogies, personal memories." Thus, the installation evokes both conscious and unconscious associations in the viewer, making it a unique way to interact with art.

Familiar circumstances and the created illusion immerse the person exploring the installation in their own memory corridor. This interaction triggers waves of associations that have long remained dormant at a deep level of consciousness. The installation only slightly touched this depth, awakening "deep memory." Memories extracted from this depth begin to fill the viewer's consciousness, creating a unique experience of interaction with art.

The wave of associations that arises in a person is not random - it is closely connected to the cultural context. The project "The Man Who Flew into Space" was originally part of a large-scale installation called "Ten Characters" (1988), which consisted of seventeen rooms and depicted a communal apartment with toilets and two kitchens. Each of the rooms belonged to a specific resident. Ilya Kabakov, using the ephemeral traces left by the characters in these rooms, invited viewers to mentally reconstruct the complex psychological connections between the residents. Among them were "the man who never threw anything away," who amassed a vast collection of useless objects, "the composer," and "the man who saved Nikolai Viktorovich." This approach allows for a deeper understanding not only of individual stories but also of the shared cultural and social aspects of life in a communal apartment.

Kabakov's installation, like several of his later works, references characteristic institutional spaces of Soviet everyday life, such as schools, kitchens, and communal apartments. The artist hopes that these objects also represent categories of space familiar to Western viewers, which, in his view, "are inherently present in the past experiences of every person." Thus, the viewer perceives these works as "their own, familiar past." Kabakov argues that installation in general has the ability to "orient a person inward," guiding them toward their inner center and their cultural and historical memory. These aspects make Kabakov's work important for understanding both Soviet and contemporary contexts, creating a bridge between diverse cultural experiences and historical memories. In his book "On Total Installation," Ilya Kabakov examines key ideas regarding installation art. These ideas underscore the importance of installation as a major trend in art history since the 1960s. Kabakov argues that installation is becoming a relevant artistic form, following in a historical sequence that includes frescoes, icons, and easel paintings. Each of these forms offers its own unique "models of the universe," reflecting views and perceptions of the surrounding world. Installation, in his view, is an important stage in the evolution of artistic expression, capable of deeply engaging with the viewer and their perception of space and time.

An installation is a unique spectacle, perceived as a "kaleidoscope of countless 'paintings'." Each element of the installation creates a unique visual experience, allowing the viewer to immerse themselves in the world of art and perception. This art form draws attention to the diversity of shapes and colors, evoking a wide range of emotions and reflections in viewers. Installations are distinguished by their ability to combine different media and techniques, which makes each of them special and memorable.

This text examines two key ideas regarding the immersive aspects of installation art. The first idea argues that the immersive qualities of the "dream scene" created by the installation are, to some extent, comparable to a painting that captures the viewer's attention. The second idea emphasizes how the multiple perspectives characteristic of installation art undermine traditional understandings of perspective. These aspects underscore the uniqueness of installation as an art form, facilitating a deeper interaction between the work and the viewer.

According to Ilya Kabakov, installation occupies a rightful place in art history due to its status as a non-commodifiable object. Frescoes initially represented an "immaterial" model of the world, but as they declined, like icons and paintings, they became more "material" and "real," undergoing commercialization and becoming a commodity. Kabakov argues that similar processes are occurring in the field of installation art. Initially conceived as a unique artistic statement, installations are also subject to the influence of commerce and popular culture over time, calling into question their original concept and value.

Installations are immaterial and impractical art in a modern world where profitability prevails. Without the artist's direct involvement, it is impossible to accurately reproduce an installation, and the question of how to assemble it often arises. Space for permanent exhibitions of installations is virtually nonexistent due to the lack of space in museums. Collectors also view installations with distrust, as they lack the necessary storage and display facilities for such works of art. Installations are typically space-bound and designed exclusively for that location, making them unique and unrepeatable. Attempts to reproduce or reconstruct an installation elsewhere will fail, as photographs are incapable of conveying its full impact. Despite the successful sales and travel of Ilya Kabakov's installations around the world, arguments in favor of this art form remain widespread. It is argued that the scale of installations and their connection to specific locations allow them to circumvent market limitations. The immersive nature of installations prevents their reproduction and translation into two-dimensional images, making the viewer's presence within the installation space a key element of perception. Kabakov's installations not only attract attention, but also create a unique experience that cannot be conveyed through photographs or video.

Kabakov, I. Fifteen Lectures on Total Installation. I. Kabakov's book "On Total Installation", published by Kerber Verlag in 2008 in Bielefeld and Leipzig, examines the key aspects and ideas related to the concept of total installation. The author shares his unique views on art, its influence on the perception of space and interaction with the viewer. This publication will be useful for both professional artists and researchers of contemporary art seeking a deeper understanding of the nature of installation and its role in the cultural context.

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